Can't Boot my Thinkpad-and need to get to safe mode

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balaw · #1 Post by **balaw** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:44 pm

When i try to boot, I get an 'invalid partition' message at what looks like a DOS prompt. I had changed a system setting (involving turning off the eraserhead pointer). That screwed up and i tried a system restore. Now i get the invalid partition message.

THe only think i can think to do is to get into safe mode and try put my settings back. But I cannot get into safe mode. I try clicking F8 continously during and after the IBM startup screen, to no avail.

I CAN still get to the IBM 'access ibm' screen and from there i can get to DOS.

Does anyone have any good ideas as to how to proceed? Is there a way to safe mode from DOS? Am i hosed?

#2 Post by **gator** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:48 pm

Can you give a better description of the error message you are getting? Does it say 'Invalid partition table'? What operating system are you using? Windows XP or 2000? Are you dual booting another OS?

If this is what I think it is (i.e a corrupted master boot record), it can be fixed by following the steps in this link:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314058

Boot to the windows recovery console as per instructions here, and use the fixmbr command.

However, before you try this, please post your error message properly so that we can confirm it is indeed a corrupt MBR.

balaw · #3 Post by **balaw** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:47 pm

You guessed correctly... the message is 'invalid partition table'. I am using XP and i have no other operating system on the machine.

Thanks for your prompt reply. Let me know what to do plz.

Bruce

balaw · #4 Post by **balaw** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:53 pm

Gator,

I looked over the link you sent. I sounds like i will need the original system disk or a bootable floppy. I have neither in that this is a company machine but i am at a remote site.

Can this be done without a XP CD or Floppy?

Bruce

#5 Post by **GomJabbar** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:03 pm

Rescue and Recovery - Recovery repair diskette

If you have an older ThinkPad, you may need to use the following instead.

Restoring the boot manager F11 option for a Disk-to-Disk recovery - ThinkPad A22, T22, T23, X2*

#6 Post by **gator** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:15 pm

balaw, AFAIK, this cannot be done without an XP CD ... if you need one urgently let me know, I'll host an .iso file (pretty small, around 10 MB) with the windows recovery console somewhere online and you can download and burn it.

I hope you have access to another computer with CD burning capabilities nearby!

edit:
I found the recovery console utility online:
http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso

download this, and burn the iso file to a CD. Boot with this CD and run fixmbr as per instructions given above. You can also use this as a reference:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/win_xp_rec.htm

Hope this helps!

al7kz · #7 Post by **al7kz** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:42 pm

delete

Can't Boot my Thinkpad-and need to get to safe mode

Can't Boot my Thinkpad-and need to get to safe mode

Thanks for the reply, here is the error msg

... one more thing

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